Kate Barousse

I am blessed beyond all understanding

Christmas Eve morning, 1987, as my mom and my older brother were watching cartoons, I decided it was time to break free into the world. Three hours and an epidural later, I was born. Katherine Barry Barousse was printed on my birth certificate. The name Katherine has been in the family for generations so being the first girl in the family, it is what my parents chose for me. As a native of Covington, La., also known as “God’s Country,” I grew up with a lot of opportunity. I attended a Catholic elementary school and then an all girls’ Catholic high school. For five years I went to a special program called Talented Art. I took art classes throughout high school and studied art history. I am right-brained, so I have interest in expressing myself more creatively. I found I excelled in English and history and would rather make projects instead of taking tests. All of my studying and experiences up to this point sparked my interest for a future in mass communication.

For 15 wonderful years I lived with two loving parents, an older brother and a younger sister. That changed in the course of about two hours my freshman year in high school. Two important social occasions were happening that night, the Valentine’s dance at my high school and the Olympia ball for all the parents. I walked out of the gym when the dance was over, my aunt greeted me by yelling from the van window, “Your mom is in labor!” Three of my friends and I left our dates, ran as fast as we could to the car, and quickly made our way to the hospital. The elevator, which seemed to go as slow as possible, finally reached the third floor. The minute the elevator door opened, sounds of laughter and excitement flooded our ears. It was a sight to watch so many people in costumes, formal gowns, and tuxedoes try to cram into one small waiting room. The parents had been drinking, which made everything more dramatic and loud. The nurses had to come out three times to tell everyone to keep the noise level down and threatened to kick us out. The door opened and everyone fell silent, as my grandmother stepped into the living room filled with joy and announced it was a girl! People burst into tears, some were jumping up and down, and others hugged with excitement. Anna Frances Barousse joined our family, and it was one of the happiest days of my life. Thirteen months later, we went through the whole thing again when my mom gave birth to her fifth child, Benjamin Eply Barousse. I cannot imagine my life without my adorable little siblings. As they learned how to walk and talk, it was about time for me to pack up my life in Covington and move to Baton Rouge.

Baton Rouge is incredibly different place from my home of 18 years. It is fast paced and a huge city! I settled into my dorm room, which I shared with two of my best friends, and looked forward to the next four years of my life at Louisiana State University. My journey into college has given me the best experience I could ask for. I pledged to the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and I am currently on the chapter council. We are one big family, and I always have someone around to just be bored with. Covington makes it easy to become obsessively close to others, and my friends today consist of old and new. They support my crazy dreams and are always pushing me forward.

I hope that 10 years from now I will be sharing old photos from my mission trip to Africa while on my lunch break from my executive position at a top- notch advertising agency. If I am not doing that, I will be having lunch at my desk as the creative director at a hospital or clothing company. Whatever I end up doing, I hope I love my job. Without my family and friends I would not be where I am today, and for that, I am blessed beyond all understanding.